Spot truckload freight rates surged for the week ending July 8 as the number of posted loads decreased 34% and truck posts slipped 19%, according to DAT Solutions and its network of load boards.

With Independence Day landing on a Tuesday, many people also took Monday off for a four-day weekend. Load posts, truck posts, and load-to-truck ratios were down for all three equipment types as a result of the shorter work week.

Nationally, the number of van load posts declined 32% and truck posts were down 20% last week. That caused the van load-to-truck ratio to fall 16% to 5.4 loads per truck.

The national average van rate rose 10 cents to $1.90 per mile. However, rates from major van markets slipped:

• Los Angeles: $2.26 per mile, down 3 cents

• Chicago: $2.11 per mile, down 1 cent

• Dallas: $1.83 per mile, down 4 cents

• Houston: $1.86 per mile, down 2 cents

• Atlanta: $2.26 per mile, down 4 cents

Reefer load posts fell 36% after several weeks of ramp-up to the Fourth of July holiday. Truck posts were down just 9% by comparison, which pushed the national reefer load-to-truck ratio down 29% to 8.3 loads per truck.

The national average spot reefer rate increased 5 cents to $2.17 per mile.

Flatbed load posts fell 33% while truck posts dropped 29%.That caused the load-to-truck ratio to decline 7% to 36.3 loads per truck.

The national average rate for flatbeds was $2.21 per mile last week, up 5 cents from the week before and its highest level in two years.

Rates are derived from DAT RateView, which provides real-time reports on prevailing spot market and contract rates, as well as historical rate and capacity trends. All reported rates include fuel surcharges.